Episode 1: Get to Know Debra, Life Updates, NEW BOOK!

Welcome to my podcast! In this episode, we are joined by my producer/camera man - the very talented Jordan Gulbranson! He's going to be asking some interesting questions about me and I am more than delighted to share my life updates and my new book! Tune in to this episode because I can't wait to share the fruit of my labor with God's caring provision.

Recipe for Kindness Episode #1

Debra: [00:00:00] Welcome to the recipe for kindness. My name is Debra Lee and I am your host. Hi. Hello everybody. My name is Debra Lee and I'm here today with my producer of our podcasts, our camera man, and he is going to be. The interviewer today. And I'm the interviewee. Yeah, this is where we're at today.

Jordan: So my name is, um, my name is JORDAN GULBRANSON.

Um, and, and like Deborah said, I'm going to be helping with kind of all the, all the backend stuff for this podcast, the audio, the video stuff, things like that. Um, and, and any other kind of editing and social media promotion. Different things along those lines. So, uh, we, we figured it'd be good for the, for the first episode.

If, um, if you guys kind of heard some about, about Deborah and kind of some of her, her backstory and her [00:01:00] life leading up to now, and, and what's going on currently in your life and what's. What led her to, to do this, this podcast. So I'm going to be kind of just thinking of questions on the spot. We don't really have a, a set, um, a set thing that we're doing.

Um, so yeah, I feel like the, um, the first, um, the first thing that I feel like it'd be good. And I think this will open up a lot of, a lot of doors for, for other conversation points to. Debra. Could you tell us a little bit about the, the book that you're writing and kind of what is included in there and where it's going?

Um, and, and what the backstory is behind that. And cause I feel like that could tie in some things from your life too. So like, I guess whatever's is going on in there. I think that'd be good. Okay.

Debra: Well, I guess I'll just start with. I'm on the hot seat here. And I, I usually like to interview other people is what I [00:02:00] like to do.

Um, but Jordan had this idea to have me speak first. Um, so people would know a little bit more about me and yes, I am writing a book. The book is going to be recipe for kindness, and it has to deal with, uh, or it has to do with diversity. Um, love, hope, and kindness, celebrating who we all are. Each one of us is different.

We're all made unique in the eyes of God. And we all have our special gifts. And it's very important to point the gifts out point the people out as different from yourself and respect everyone because without each other, there is no tapestry of life to carry us through in this, uh, earthly existence.

That we're all part of. So I'm writing my book. [00:03:00] Uh, it's it's been quite a journey. I will. Originally going to title my book money voice, because I had been for many years in show business. And then I took a hiatus from my stage career and decided to go into radio. So then I was in radio broadcasting for 20 years or so.

And from that point of view, I started to learn more about life. As far as working with other people. It wasn't centered around what I was doing onstage or the actual production value. It was centered around a radio, which is, which is more the theater of the mind. So you're you people that are listening when they're driving, we call that drive.

They're driving home or driving to work or driving [00:04:00] somewhere. They they're listening. And they're actually imagining the stories that you're telling. And that could be news. It could be, uh, commercials. It could be, uh, uh, like a, a syndicated broadcast from another host. Um, and. So it, it involves an awful lot of imagination.

Whereas television is more, what you see is what you get. And, uh, so people really do enjoy their radio time because. Able to process it, how they see it. And it's exciting. So when you write a book too, it's, it's the same kind of thing where someone's reading about your life. And they're also imagining what it would be like to go through the things that the other person or the PR the author is going through, or [00:05:00] if they're characters, what the protagonist and the antagonist.

Thinking and doing, and it's a lot of imagination, even though you may have pictures and you may have, you may be giving out advice. There is a little bit more time to reflect and you would when you're completely on film. So all of these things work together to create a better world. We have TV, we have radio, we have podcasts.

Jordan: What we have all this mass media coming at us every day, but I think it's very important to also bring in the factor of kindness into people's lives, because a lot of the things that we focus on or that we see on a daily basis, uh, is, um, possibly negative. And so it's better if you can. Have a podcast that will allow people to, [00:06:00] um, deal with with the better side of their nature, I think.

Debra: And that's what we're going to try to do with recipe for kindness.

Jordan: Awesome. So that's the name of, um, it's the name of this podcast as well as the name of. As well as the name of the book, right? Yes. Okay, cool. Cool. And we just kind of like decided on that, like within like the last week. So like it's set now.

It's not sudden place. Um, cool. I dealing with diversity. Yeah. And like that, rolling into that, that, that was something I thought of in there and I think it was cool. We got it. We kinda got like a brief overview of, of your backstory and then. Um, kind of the thing with the book too. And what, what that's about, um, could you explain a little bit of the cultural diverse?

Is it the cultural diversity council or center?

Debra: cultural diversity council or center. If you want to call it a center is at the Hollywood on main [00:07:00] in Montevideo, Minnesota. So we have, uh, 12 different board members that are of different race, creed, religion. Thought, um, you name it, we're all different.

And we all worked together on various events and one of our greatest, or our longest running event is our Christmas show that we do every year. Or you could call it the holiday show. It's, uh, it's really a music box. Christmas is how it started, but. We call it the music box series and we have a different theme every year, and we have all sorts of volunteers that come and perform in the shows.

And you would be so surprised we have the most professional people that show up to just do a show with us that evening. And, um, and we have [00:08:00] kids in the show it's very, uh, How can you say this? It's very family oriented and we have a wonderful time with that. We also do a, um, a revival every year, uh, for people to come and experience their multicultural faith.

Uh, we do a mid, a military show every year, something to, for our heroes. And actually this year we're going to be broadcasting, hometown heroes for the holidays. That's, that'll be our, our, uh, Christmas entry this year, our music box series this year. Hope that's making some sense when they didn't have to, but, uh, yeah, so.

We're trying our best to, to get some good theater out there for people in music and to show different cultural aspects of [00:09:00] music. We have the Micronesians of myelin who have built quite a name for themselves as entertainers, singers, and actually. Are creating a dugout canoe right now. So, um, these people are very involved in the tradition of navigation, uh, using the stars and the ocean to go back and forth between Micronesia and the United States or wherever they're going to go.

So we want to be talking about that. We will be hosting a in, uh, event regarding that called navigation of the stars star gate. Okay. So, and that will be coming up sometime, either in 2021 at the very latest 20, 22. And then we have Leo Gunnar baker who is, uh, a great vocalist and, and he does rhythms and all of these different things at powwow is, uh, he's from [00:10:00] the Lakota nation.

So he is part of the upper. Community. And he comes and performs with us. He's on our board. Um, we have, uh, Natalie Nakashima, who is a wonderful singer. She also has her own business. It's international food Mart. She's from Worthington. So she has, yeah, she has a big truck right now that she takes around and drops.

Different foods from around the world to the different people that have ordered from foods. And she does have a store too, but through COVID, she's been using an actual food truck to bring things around to people. Um, we have other people as well. All right. That we can talk about in the future. All right, perfect.

Jordan: So we kind of got, um, we got a bit about the cultural [00:11:00] diversity camp. And then, and then we had some about the book and there too. Um, and, and you kind of explain like the, the, the vision for the podcast, just being like kindness, um, in, in like media, whether it's TV or radio or YouTube videos or whatever, um, And, and, and I feel like that's a really, that's a really good overall thing.

Um, is there anything with the, and you just listed off a bunch of people just now, um, but with, uh, the people that you'll be interviewing on, on the podcast, like you don't have to give out specific people or anything, but, um, could, could you explain a little bit about just kind of the, the direction you'll, you'll be going with that, and, and you could talk about specific people that, that you might have on, or just an idea of.

Have, you know, where you'll begin in these people is that people, you know, from your past people you're working with now, um, I hope that was a [00:12:00] good enough.

Debra: All of the above people that I know now, people that I've worked with in the past, people that, um, are coming to us on a daily basis, we have new people.

Wanting to know more about the cultural diversity council of the upper Minnesota river valley, because here we are, we're in Minnesota. So we do have, we do cater to our Minnesotans, but we're trying to open it up and bring it out further. What we're trying to do with cultural diversity council is to give everybody on a local level, a chance to express themselves.

And the idea that being local is where it's grassroots. So it's where we need to start as a nation, the way to really start to appreciate other cultures and other people is to start in your own locale. So this is what we want to do is with the cultural diversity [00:13:00] council of the upper Minnesota valley, which is our local example.

And I would say our grasp. Experimentation for this platform, we would like to be able to give others the tools to actually begin to make changes in their own locale. You have to start locally and then build it from the grassroots up. And I think that that will really help to remove a lot of the prejudice.

People have a lot of. Um, sometimes we even have a naivety about what cultural diversity really is. And until you really start dealing with it on a local basis and working with the underserved and bringing your top community leaders together to help you work with the [00:14:00] underserved, you will not understand what.

To make an effect, a change. And that's what we want to do is change minds, change hearts, change minds, change the world, but you don't start with the whole world. You start with yourself and with the people that you work with and see every day. And hopefully that will make a difference. And another thing I wanted to say, based on something you brought up about the news and that sort of thing that I have.

Spoken of prior is that we unfortunately, as a society and probably across the world are very desensitized when it comes to violence and a negative way of, uh, approaching another person. We, we are, um, we're always drawn [00:15:00] into what the stories are on the news. And when we're drawn into it, we desensitize as we look at the violence that is being presented and we come to think that that's normal and it needs to be eradicated.

If at all possible you start small, you start in your local community and then it moves up from there to hopefully making. This whole world a peace. We need to be peaceful. All right. And then, um, I feel like that covered it really good. I feel like that covered like your vision and like where you're going and the interviews and everything.

Jordan: That was, that was awesome. Um, and we hit, so we hit the, we hit the book. We had kind of where the, where the podcasts. And we got a little bit of your backstory and then you cut. I feel like you covered the cultural diversity council really well, not explained a [00:16:00] lot more to me. Like, I feel like I didn't understand it that well until, until you'd said that.

And I feel like I, I have a way clear view of it now. Um, and, uh, yeah, I guess, um, is there anything else you feel like should be included in, in this first segment? Um, just now as, as you and I are talking.

Debra: Well, I, we came up with this wonderful idea. Our recipes, we are going, we are going to have, um, we're actually going to have some nice recipes, dishes, um, that we'll be discussing and, uh, giving people an actual recipe idea to, um, so they can make them at home.

But today we want to introduce our recipe box. Is it cool if I hold this up? Yeah. This is our recipe box for kindness. And my, my personal box says my prayers on [00:17:00] it because that's important to me, my prayers, no, you may want a different type of a box that will give you your joy. Um, and my insights is with inside of the box that is says with God, all things are possible.

And that's a quotation from the Bible and it's for Matthew and, um, inside our little box, we have some recipe cards, so, so, um, you can decide one side. Has I pick one? Yeah. Okay. I'm just going to go run off the town. Should I read it? Sure. So as may you experience the love of Christ though? It is too great to understand fully awesome.

And that's from Ephesians three 19. That's the background on my phone? Actually. [00:18:00] That's a good one. Yeah, that's amazing. Well then on the other side, it gives you the devotional for the day. So when you said that's called a, uh, the Divo, the daily DeVos. Yeah. Some people call it the daily Debo. Some of you guys might've heard.

Jordan: Can I read this one says, if you want to be somebody, somebody really special, just be you that amen to that.

Debra: It's the truth. It's the truth. So that's, that's our daily recipe for the day, our Debo and I, and then eventually we're going to be filling it with some recipes. For good food and there'll be dishes from all over the world.

And, um, we're looking forward to presenting that on the podcast and giving you a recipe. And maybe when we click subscribe, we will come up with some more ideas. [00:19:00] Absolutely. Uh, so if you click and subscribe, we want to help you with, uh, creating your recipe box. You can. Ordered them from us. We'll definitely do that for you.

And, and then we will have some coupons. I hope, uh, helped me with this one. Maybe we weren't supposed to bring this up right now. No, that's good. Yeah, we, we plan on having coupons when you, um, subscribe and you had an idea for Facebook.

Jordan: Oh yeah. Basically. Um, uh, if it's, so if you, if you're watching this on Facebook, Um, if you like, and your share this video, we're going to send you some more information here, um, about this box, um, and, and what she's talking about with recipes, all that stuff.

So make sure that you like and share this video on Facebook, and we'll send you some more information about that and that'll change over time. Um, so as, as there's more episodes, continue to do that and we'll continue to send you updated information that [00:20:00] way. It's all. Sounds good. Anything else we want to bring up?

Right? I think, um, I think that was really good. Deborah. I think that was awesome. I feel like we, we covered a lot of good stuff. So hopefully now you guys know, um, who your, your host is a little bit better. Um, as she's interviewing people, you kind of have a little bit of a background on her and, um, I would just so encourage any.

In the audience to, um, reach out to us on, uh, whether you're watching this on Instagram, Facebook, whether you're listening to this podcast online, send us a message. If, uh, if you want to get into contact with Deborah and you have any questions for her, if you just want to Tom occur or anything like that, I think she's super open to that and in communicating with the audience.

So I'll just forward you guys to her and, and you can get in touch with her. So, yeah. You're awesome. You did a fantastic job. Thank you, God bless you. Thank you. Cool. I think we got it. [00:21:00] All right. We'll move on. All right.

Debra: Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a Las Vegas show girl? Well, ladies, this summer, you will have your wish at the Hollywood on me.

We will be providing the showgirl experience. Just give us a call at three two zero two two six one one nine hundred five. That's 3 2 0 2 2 6 1195. And you can partake in the showgirl experience today on recipe for kindness, we have a cutting edge tip for you. It is the signal for help me. You start with an open hand.

You close your thumb into the Palm of your hand, and then you wrap your fingers into a fist, and this is a universal sign that you're in trouble. So let's try it[00:22:00] 

and you can let people know if you're experiencing anything that's uncomfortable and. We'll pay attention to you and call 9 1 1 for you. That's our cutting edge to stay safe. There are times when you may think your situation is dire, but with your recipe for kindness, your life will inspire.